


Aurelian of London's: Mage Match

by TheOnlyCeeCeeJ



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Bottom Harry Potter, Dating Agency, Fluff and Smut, Little bit of angst, M/M, Matchmaking, Post-Hogwarts, Post-Second War with Voldemort, Post-War, Questionable use of glamours, Romantic Comedy, Secret Identity, Slow Burn, Successful Harry, Top Draco Malfoy, draco is lonely, glamours, harry is lonely
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-02
Updated: 2020-10-05
Packaged: 2021-03-06 22:01:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26256067
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheOnlyCeeCeeJ/pseuds/TheOnlyCeeCeeJ
Summary: After the light won the war, things changed. People changed. Really, people didn't know what to do with themselves. The Wizarding World was in a strange sort of limbo.Enter Aurelian's of London, the newest business on Diagon Alley taking the Wizarding World by storm, ran by the beautiful Amelie Aurelian.But wait... what does Amelie Aurelian have to do with Harry Potter??
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter
Comments: 3
Kudos: 25





	1. Introducing Amelie Aurelian

**Author's Note:**

> Ok, so I started writing this a LONG time ago and have decided FUCK IT, I'm just gonna post it! Hope you like it!

**_EXCLUSIVE: Behind the Scenes with Wizarding Britain’s Newest Entrepreneur_ **

_ My dear readers, I come to you from inside the new purpose built store-front and offices on the edge of Diagon Alley and I am here to give you an exclusive interview with the up-and-coming Entrepreneur in Wizarding London. You may have seen her advertisements or the word on the street, but now I can give you everything I am sure you are dying to know. _

_ Inside the offices of Aurelian of London, the top floor is dedicated to Mage Match, Wizarding Britain’s first and only dating agency, dedicated to helping you find your perfect witch or wizard. I’ll tell you, readers, if you haven’t been here, the offices are simply spectacular. Whilst it looks extravagant, you still manage to feel at home.  _

_ I am led to an intimate meeting room and, I’ll tell you readers, I couldn’t be more comfortable. Only waiting a few minutes, I am joined by the topic of our attention. Amelie Aurelian glides into the room and immediately greets me warmly. For those who wish to know, the photos do absolutely nothing for the periwinkle blue fitted robes she is wearing. The woman is dressed like she is stepping right off of the cover of Wizarding Vogue. _

_ Now, enough about that, I know you are all itching to know more about Ms. Aurelian, so onto the interview. _

_ RS: Ms. Aurelian, it’s lovely to meet you. Thank you so much for having the Daily Prophet visit you.  _

_ AA: Thank you for joining me. And please, call me Amelie.  _

_ RS: Thank you, Amelie. Why don’t you start by telling my readers a little bit about yourself.  _

_AA:_ _[Crosses her legs and chuckles] What do you want to know? Ok, I am British-born, but my parents moved to America when I was a baby, hence the strange accent._

_ RS: I was wondering, I thought I could hear a bit of an American twang. Why did they decide to move? _

_ AA: When my mother found out she was expecting, it was during the first war and my parents were immediately worried about raising a child in an environment with a Dark Lord looming over their heads so they decided that a move overseas was safer than risking raising their child in such dark times.  _

_ RS: That’s completely understandable. Ok, you must tell us about your schooling.  _

_ AA: Well, I attended Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Gosh, I haven’t thought back to my school days in years! I’ve been so busy. Ok, I am not sure about yourselves who attended Hogwarts, but I remember being absolutely terrified on my first day. Just my luck, alphabetically I was the first to be sorted! [Amelie laughs] I was a Horned Serpent, the house that represents the mind. I’ll be honest, it was perfect for me. I spent the majority of my time in the library studying and trying to further the knowledge that was being offered to me.  _

_ RS: That certainly sounds like a good match. What would you say were your best subjects? _

_ AA: I was definitely a dab hand at Charms, but I think where I truly excelled was in Arithmancy and also Xylomancy. My Professor once told me that I seem to be able to see that which many others cannot.  _

_ RS: How interesting! And that must be something that helps you in your current profession. _

_ AA: Well, I am no seer, but I guess you’re right there. _

_ RS: Now let’s get onto what you do now. Aurelian of London is truly becoming one of the biggest enterprises in New Wizarding Britain. Tell us a little bit about what it is your company does. _

_ AA: Well, I have always had multiple interests and I didn’t really want to limit myself to only working in one. Property Development and Interior Design were both passions for me and could even go hand-in-hand so it took a lot of planning and being holed up in my room at first, starting up a business takes a lot of time and I decided to open two simultaneously [Amelie laughs]. _

_ The first couple of homes I developed, I Project Managed myself, hiring contractors and things like that, and then fully furnished them. Especially after your war, a great number of people were looking to either have their homes fully renovated or move somewhere completely different and what I was doing must have come at the right time. _

_ After a year or so, I had orders coming in thick and fast and it was definitely time to expand out from the little office I had made for myself in my home. I couldn’t do it on my own anymore. I needed staff to assist me and I needed the space to do that. A friend of mine helped me whilst I searched for the perfect space. I adore the bustle of Diagon Alley so this was my only choice for office. There were a few stores that had closed down so I bought the space and we all worked together to turn them into this. I personally selected and trained all staff employed; Designers, Receptionists and Sales Staff once the building was up and running. _

_ RS: And this is absolutely stunning, Amelie. You spoke of offices, why did you decide to have the lower floors being a shop which is open to the public? _

_ AA: I wanted to allow people to see the kind of work that Aurelian of London has to offer before they even set foot inside to inquire. Catalogues and articles can only do so much, seeing it in person makes all the difference. In the store, I also offer space for the small and start-up businesses that I partner with to showcase their work and make their names known. A few of the furniture companies that I use in my developments also sell their collections in store. This building is in a prime location and finding a shop in such a good place is expensive. We all help each other like one big family. _

_ RS: It is great to see new british companies start to blossom. I noticed you have the new Parkinson & Tickner collection downstairs. _

_ AA: Absolutely! Who wouldn’t!? Pansy and Liv have an incredible eye for detail and what Wizarding Britain would appreciate. Nearly every home I work on has something designed by Parkinson & Tickner.  _

_ RS: Remind me to stop off on the way out, I could use a few new things for my home! _

_ AA: Of course, I’ll show around and point out the absolute must-haves! _

_ RS: Oh, I’m sure my readers would love that! Now, onto your newest venture and the real reason I am here, Mage Match. Exactly how did this come about, it’s very different from your other businesses. _

_ AA: Ah, yes it is. But it is actually because of my other businesses that it really came about.  _

_ I work very closely with my clients on their homes. I’d have to so that I can ensure what I do is exactly what they want. I can spend several months getting to know a client on a professional level and a personal level and I noticed something. Many of the unmarried men and women spoke to me and expressed how difficult a time they were having trying to find ‘The One’. At first I thought that it was just general chat but after a while, I realised that nearly everyone was mentioning the same thing.  _

_ I thought, there has to be more to this, so I started to research a little and worked out what had happened. I had found an archived Daily Prophet article that mentioned marriage contracts. After the second war, many of the pureblood marriage contracts were up for cancellation. Many of the people who drew them up for their children were either imprisoned or realised that there was more to life than just marrying for the sake of a legacy. A lot of witches and wizards were freed from that life and honestly, they were left to drown.  _

_ RS: Drown? What do you mean by that? _

_ AA: Imagine this. You’ve known your entire life that you’re going to marry a certain person and that’s that. You have no reason to really think about what you look for in a person. You have no idea how to really act around witches or wizards that aren’t your betrothed. All of a sudden that betrothal is cancelled and you’re free to love whoever you want. But how do you even go about that? _

_ And it’s not just the young people that needed assistance. Many of my clients were either widowed or had spouses who were less-than-savoury characters and were never going to be released from imprisonment and wanted to find a way to move on, but didn’t know how. Times had changed. There was a lot more integration in society and many didn’t know how to actually meet people outside their usual social circles… _

_ RS: So you came in. _

_ AA: Not immediately. At first, it was just a thought that I carried with me. It wasn’t until I sat down with my best friend that she opened my eyes to the possibilities. As we discussed, I had a knack for the divine arts and also Arithmancy. I had also successfully set up a few friends in the past and hadn’t realised the apparent hidden talent I had. I worked for a while and devised an algorithm that could show a compatibility rating through a personality quiz and what they tell me they believe they are looking for in a life-partner.  _

_ RS: You say life-partner? So you are helping people to find love? To find the one they spend their life with.  _

_ AA: Yes! I work with people who want to settle down. If someone wants to find a catalogue of witches or wizards to just make their way through, Mage Match is not the place for them. They can head to the nearest bar and try their luck, I will not waste my time with that. When I asked around with my clients who had mentioned their struggle, they told me that they would be happy to pay a fee in order to have some assistance. [Information on fees on page 5] _

_ RS: Admirable. Ok, you mentioned an algorithm of sorts. Is that all you use? _

_ AA: Oh, no! I meet and interview every prospective client personally so that I can get a real feel for the person. Whilst all matches go through the pensieve, that’s what holds the algorithm, this only gives a few loose matches. I go through all matches and personally select dates based on what I can feel is right between the clients. The one thing that I keep completely out of any match choice is Blood status. That is an unnecessary means of choosing a partner so whilst I am informed of it in the beginning, I do not use it to match and do not disclose it before any date.  _

_ RS: Fascinating. What else does Mage Match have to offer?  _

_ AA: Outside of the personal Matchmaking service, anyone signed up with the agency is invited to attend any of the classes that are held here by Catriona Stewart, our resident dating coach. These cover things like empowering women and letting them take things into their own hands, etiquette, accepting your sexuality and many other tools that can advise and encourage a person to date confidently in this new world. We also hold speed dating events and formal mixers where clients can all meet in a controlled setting, build their confidence in meeting people and possibly come into contact with ‘The One’ of their own accord. [Full list of services, courses on page 6] _

_ RS: This really is a fully-realised and wonderful business dedicated to assisting any and all wizard-folk to be happy following the war. I’m sure my readers would agree, you are a remarkable woman. _

_ AA: [Amelie blushes] Oh, I wouldn’t go that far, Rita. I just like hard work and happiness.  _

_ RS: Modest, too! Amelie, you are a breath of fresh air in this community. Thank you for taking the time to speak with me today, it really has been an informative pleasure.  _

_ AA: The pleasure is all mine. It’s been an absolute delight having you with me this morning. Now, how about we go and have a look downstairs and find something for your home? _

_ And, my dear readers, that is that. Amelie Aurelian is a powerhouse who is storming her way through Wizarding Britain one home and one heart at a time. This beautiful woman, both inside and out, in my humble opinion, has an incredible career ahead of her. Amelie is a caring person who has time for absolutely anyone who crosses her path, whether she knows you or not. Amelie Aurelian can makeover your home, she can change your life completely and you will always have a friend.  _

_ I, Rita Skeeter, am in awe. What a woman!  _

After the interview, Amelie had indeed worked her way through the shop below, pointing out best sellers and what was ‘in’ at that time, the female reporter avidly taking notes and photos. A quick photo shoot followed to support the article, draped gracefully on a chaise here, standing proudly outside the building under her name and, of course, a candid photo hugging Rita. 

Amelie Aurelian waved Rita and her photographer off with a huge smile before making her way to the elevator to take her back up to the top floor. She strode through the main floor and straight to her office, closing the door with a click. She immediately sighed and kicked off her high heels, knowing she had no other appointments booked for the day. She padded her way over to her desk and sat down, taking her wand out and locking the door, not wanting to be disturbed, before sitting back and closing her eyes.   
  
“Soooooo…” The voice made Amelie leap out of her skin. In the corner of her office, comfortably sat on the sofa sat Hermione Granger. “You’re best friends with that old beetle now? How does that feel?”

Amelie sighed and laughed, “Don’t you start, ‘Mione. It was your idea! And anyway, how did you sneak your way in here?”

“Honestly, I think your receptionist has a thing for me so I kinda used her to get around your non-existent schedule. I know I don’t swing that way but…” Hermione laughed, “You’re looking particularly beautiful this morning,  _ Amelie. _ ”

Amelie chuckled and moved over to the small cabinet, taking out some other clothes. “Oh come off it, ‘Mione, you haven’t even given me a chance to get changed!”

Stepping behind a screen, Amelie removed her clothes and closed her eyes. Quickly, her shoulders broadened, hips slimmed down. Her hair shortened and darkened considerably, taking on a style that could only be described as a controlled birds-nest. Her face became more angular and a slight bit of stubble sprouted from her defined chin. Once she was done, she opened her eyes to reveal the vivid green that only one living person had. 

Once dressed, Harry Potter stepped out and took his place next to his friend on the sofa. “Ah, that’s better,” he said as he placed his head on his friend’s shoulder. “I can’t believe I was able to be so nice to that  _ woman  _ for so long.”

“Anything for a good story, eh Harry. Merlin, you’re such a publicity whore!”

Harry sat up and swung a pillow at his friend’s face, “Oh shush, you! I’m a successful business person who is advertising themselves to the public.”

**Harry Potter: Saviour of the Wizarding World, The Boy-Who-Lived-Twice, Property Developer… Interior Designer and… Secret Matchmaker? Who’d’ve thought!?**


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's Chapter 2... Hope you like it!

Once the war was over and the dust had settled, Harry Potter’s life didn’t get any kind of chance to calm down. He presented himself at every funeral that he could, said words at the appropriate times, hugged family members of those who were lost and comforted everyone as much as he could. Once all the dead were buried, Harry was thrust straight into the next class of Auror Training with Ron. The days were long and the courses were vigorous. Even though they had just come back from a year on the run, a huge fight on the battlefield and (in Harry’s case) death, it was like nothing they had ever experienced. 

The Auror Trainers were particularly hard on Harry, being the defeater of the Dark Lord and all. Extra time in the duelling chamber, unrealistic lap times with the fitness trainer, maximum difficulty against the test dummies; whatever they expected of an auror, they wanted more from Harry. During the War Games, which were always played New Recruits vs. Recent Graduates, the other team seemed to focus all of their effort and firepower on just him. They all went after him and basically forgot all about the other recruits. The young man was constantly exhausted, his body still not fully recovered from the battle then going straight into this. He wasn’t prepared for this and it didn’t stop there. 

When it came to the class based training, all of the trainers and trainees expected him to get the top results. During the strategy training, they all viewed penseive memories of past missions that had either gone wrong, or had been modified that way, and they had to submit essays on why that had gone wrong and produce new strategy plans for how it should have gone. Taking his last year off of school didn’t help matters one bit. His penmanship had gone from bad to dreadful and he struggled to string sentences together properly. Whilst he did eventually do very well in every assignment, each assignment took 10 times longer, having to draft and re-draft until it all made sense. On top of that, he still had to find time to study Wizarding Law and Advanced Defence against the Dark Arts which, due to the lacking curriculum and questionably revolving door on the DADA classroom at Hogwarts, and pass all of those classes. 

In the beginning, Harry was determined. He barely slept and kept himself going with bucket loads of coffee. He was the first one in and the last one to leave. He wanted to make his parents proud and become the Auror that everyone knew he could be. It was what the world expected and it’s what he wanted, wasn’t it? 

After a year of suffering through his studies, including six months shadowing the most obnoxious person that he had ever met, Harry slowly dragged himself up to Minister Shacklebot’s office. If anyone could shed some light on how he was feeling, it would be the ex-Auror. Harry smiled politely to the man’s receptionist as she blushed and allowed him to pass. He knocked lightly on the door and waited for the deep baritone voice to permit him entry. 

Kingsley stood and rounded his desk. “Harry, it’s good to see you,” he said as they shook hands.

“It’s good to see you too, Minister,” Harry smiled as he took a seat in front of the desk.

Kingsley laughed as he also sat down, “Enough of that Minister lark, we are friends here, Harry.”

“I know, Kingsley, it’s just funny to say,” Harry replied, relaxing in his chair and relishing in its comfort. 

“So formalities aside, how are you? How goes Auror training?” Kingsley asked, taking in the tired shell of a young man sitting before him. 

“Oh, it’s ok. Fine. It’s alright, I guess,” Harry shrugged. 

Kinglsey rolled his eyes and sat forward, “Really Harry, that’s all you’re going to say? Truthfully, how is it all going?” 

Harry thought for a moment before he sagged back and sighed, the floodgates opening, “I’m exhausted, Kings. It just doesn’t stop, does it?! I mean, I understand that it’s not easy to become an auror but I am almost positive they are trying to make my life hell.” Harry chuckled slightly, “Yes, I defeated the Dark Lord but come on! I wasn’t on my own and I am pretty sure most of it was the Potter Luck and Hermione. I didn’t really have much of a plan, I just kinda winged it and hoped I didn’t die. But there, they are treating me like I was a master strategist, genius athlete who’s been through the war and can do it again and again.

“You know what? They are treating me as though I am Albus Dumbledore, Leader and Wizard Extraordinaire. I don’t think they realise what I really am. A Hogwarts drop-out who is unnaturally good with a wand. Hell, I’ve only known about the Wizarding World for 8 years! All everyone sees is Harry Potter, Dark Lord Destroyer. I’m sick of it. Why can’t I just be treated like everyone else?! Ron isn’t this exhausted. He still has a life. He’s nowhere near the top of the class, honestly, he’s coasting through but he seems happy and other than the - what he calls - schoolwork, he’s really enjoying himself. That’s what I want.”

Kingsley sat back and let Harry get everything off of his chest, he could tell the young man was wound so tight he was bound to snap at any moment. He could see the physical relief in Harry’s shoulders as he finished his rant. “Is that all you want, Harry?”

Harry looked up at Kingsley and the man could swear that those eyes belonged to the small teen he had first met and not the young man that he now was. The innocence and questioning shone bright and clear. Harry was stumped. He sat and tried to wrack his brain trying to remember the last time that anyone had asked him what he wanted. 

Everyone expected him to become an auror and follow in his father’s and godfather’s footsteps. They expected him to rid the world of the evil that was always lurking around the corner. No one had actually asked him if that was what he wanted to do. “I…” Harry didn’t know what to say. Did he want to be an auror? It was the only career he had put any thought into. He stared at his hands, thinking of an answer before he managed to mutter, “I don’t know.”

Kingsley nodded, seemingly knowing Harry’s entire thought process, “Well, let me ask you this. Do you actually want to become an auror?”

Harry shook his head, “I don’t think I do. I know it’s what everyone wants and expects but I think I have had enough. The first 8 years of my wizarding life have been spent fighting and I’d say that is more than enough for a lifetime.”

“I think so, too. Harry, you have done more for this world than anyone could ever do. You saved us all when no one else could. The world owes you a great debt and a relaxing life…”

“As relaxing as a celebrity can have…” Harry interrupted.

“What I mean is that you have sacrificed your happiness and your entire life for everyone else. It’s time you do things for yourself. If you can live with the life of an auror, by all means continue with your training. But if you want your own life, to live how you want and deserve…” Kingsley reached into his drawer and placed them in front of Harry. 

Harry picked the paperwork up and immediately recognised them as withdrawal papers, already mostly filled out with his details. “How long have you had these?” he chuckled.

Kingsley smirked, “Whilst being Minister is incredibly busy, I have been keeping an eye on you, Harry. I knew this conversation would happen, I just didn’t know when. I think it was about 4 months ago that I got the paperwork ready. If you’d taken any longer, I’d have dragged you in here and forced you to sign.” 

Harry gave the Minister a wide, genuine smile. “Thank you for looking out for me, Kingsley. I really appreciate it.” 

Kingsley handed over a quill and returned the smile, “It’s the least I can do. If it wasn’t for you, I don’t think I’d be in this office.” He watched as Harry signed the paperwork and slid it back to him. “Thank you, Harry. Now please try to relax and enjoy your life.”

Harry stood slowly, “I think the first thing I’m gonna do is sleep for a week.” 

Kingsley laughed, “Enjoy! Don’t forget to come and visit.”

“Of course, Minister. You can’t get rid of me that easily.” 

Harry left Kingsley’s office with his head held high and a huge smile on his face. By the time he made it down to the Auror department to pack up his things, his paperwork must have already been filed and passed to his superior, who stormed up to him, demanding answers. Harry just shrugged and told them that it wasn’t for him and continued packing his things away. 

When word got around to Ron, the redhead was less than pleased. He stood in front of Harry and tried to lay on the guilt trip as much as he could. _This is what we’ve always dreamed of, Harry, being aurors together just like your dad and Sirius. The wizarding world needs you, you can’t abandon them._ Harry tried to reason with his friend but Ron got more and more angry at the abandonment that eventually he flipped one of the desks before storming out of the room muttering ‘traitor’ under his breath. 

Harry shook his head and continued packing before making his way to the atrium where he could floo home. As soon as he set foot in Grimmauld Place, he asked Kreacher to ward the townhouse so that no one could enter or call and went straight to bed, leaving a trail of his clothes behind for Kreacher to pick up without so much of a second thought. Sleep claimed him the minute his head hit the pillow.

During his first week of freedom, Harry did exactly what he had said. He barely moved from his bed, only accepting food from Kreacher during those times he did wake up and showering whenever the elf forcibly removed him from the bed in order to clean the sheets. For the first time in his life, Harry was free to really relax and not have to worry about what was going to happen next. As soon as he felt refreshed and ready to move on with his life, he asked Kreacher to lower the wards slightly to allow entry to only certain people. One of whom came barrelling through the floo not even 10 minutes later. 

“Harry James Potter, you get your arse down here this instant!” Hermione yelled.

As soon as he heard her voice, Harry launched himself down three flights of stairs and straight into the lounge, where his bushy haired friend stood with her hands on her hips. “‘Mione, what brings you here to visit?”

“Don’t you start, Potter! I get home from work a week ago to Ron trashing my home, telling me you’ve betrayed him and quit the Aurors. Then, when I try to floo you, I’m completely blocked out. All of my owls have come back undelivered for a week, Harry. A WEEK! Do you have any idea how worried about you I have been?!”

Harry cowered slightly from the rage-fuelled woman, “I know, ‘Mione. It all just kinda happened and I have been exhausted for the past year. I just needed some time to relax,” Harry said, pulling his friend into a hug. “I’m really sorry. I didn’t think, I just kinda went to bed.”

Hermione returned the hug, “No, you didn’t think did you? You could have sent me a patronus telling me that you wanted to be alone for a bit and that you were _safe!?_ ” Hermione pulled back from the hug and slapped Harry on the arm, “I need an explanation.”

Harry nodded and led Hermione over to the sofas and explained everything. After speaking with Kingsley, Harry hadn’t fully registered what was going on but saying it aloud in its entirety, he truly believed that he had made the right choice. 

Hermione took Harry’s hand once he had finished, “Oh, Harry. I didn’t realise that it was so bad for you. I think you’ve made the right choice.”

Harry squeezed her hand lightly, “You do? Thanks, ‘Mione. I guess I’ve been a bit worried it was a bit sudden, but I guess it wasn’t really. It had been building for a long time. Do you think Ron will get over it?”

Hermione thought for a moment, “I don’t know. I’m sure he will, but Merlin knows when that will be. He’s being a bit of a selfish prick…again! I really don’t know what I ever saw in him!” Hermione chuckled. She and Ron had had a brief relationship after the war, but very quickly, he began to lap up the glory of being a war hero and you could say… Romance wasn’t the top of his list. Hermione ended it rather quickly once he missed one too many dinner reservations. “So what do you think you’ll do now, Harry?”

“I don’t know. I don’t really have to worry about money but I will go stir crazy if I don’t work. I guess I have some time to think about it and find the right job for me. I definitely don’t want to work in the Ministry! I might spend some time sorting out this place.”

And that’s exactly what he did, Harry immediately got to work on Grimmauld place. Bulldozer Harry made his way through the house, slowly stripping the home of the darkness that it held. Many of the unused rooms were full of dark artifacts and clutter that Harry went through. Much of it was slowly professionally removed and Harry spent a long while battling a multitude of creatures that chose the hidden rooms as their home. 

Whilst he was going through some of the rooms, he found stacks of portraits of Black family members which he obviously didn’t want to keep. He contacted Andromeda and Narcissa Malfoy and invited them over to have a look through them, should they wish to keep any, taking the rest to sit in the Black vaults. Whilst down in the vault, he found a portrait that he didn’t expect to find. 

“Pup? Is that you? Blimey you’ve gotten old! Please tell me you are removing me from this dreary vault!? It’s bad enough being stuck in this frame, I’ve been so bored getting screamed at by these relatives of mine! Sunlight? What is sunlight?”

Harry laughed away his tears as he turned towards the offending frame, “Well, I’ll be taking you out of this dreary vault and putting you back in your dreary home.”

Sirius barked out a laugh, “Still there, eh? Hmm… Which is worse?”

Harry let the man think it over for a moment before speaking, “If you’re having to think about it that hard, I guess I’ll leave you here!” And he turned to leave.

“Wait! Wait! Please, I beg you. TAKE ME WITH YOU!!!!!” Sirius screamed on his knees, being ever the dramatist. 

Of course, Harry did take Sirius with him. He carried Sirius around Grimmauld Place, propping him up in whichever room he was working in. With Hermione and all of his other friends working their normal jobs, he found that he liked to have the company and assistance, even if it was only offering ideas or sharing knowledge, it was nice to not be alone all day and most evenings. 

Hermione popped over every weekend to help and some evenings and eventually every room and hallway was completely stripped of what needed removing. Harry then had a relatively blank canvas to work with. With so many rooms, Harry decided that he would bring in some contractors to remove and move walls, to completely change the layout of the floors. The biggest change that Sirius thoroughly approved of was knocking out the wall that permanently housed his hate-spewing mother and locking her in the depths of the Black Vaults. Hopefully she would shut up surrounded by her beloved family members. 

Whilst the building work was being completed, Harry spent his time upcycling the furniture that he decided to keep. Armoires, chairs and cabinets were stripped, re-furnished and re-varnished or painted to look brand new. Each item was designed to specifically complement its desired room. 

When it came to picking the colour palettes, Harry chose light and bright colours, determined to make the once gloomy house look and feel like a light and airy home. Certain rooms, however, demanded a deeper colour scheme such as the library and, oddly, his own bedroom, which he filled with deep purples and greens. Harry shopped in both magical and muggle stores to buy the rest of his furniture as he filled the rooms with lush and luxurious drapery and soft furnishings. Much of the drapery around the windows and beds, he designed himself, taking his ideas to seamstresses for them to put together.

Harry had a state-of-the-art kitchen fitted with every gadget imaginable. He had a coffee machine, huge range cooker and every work surface was white quartz stone. The light coloured surfaces and walls opened up the space and made it seem like it was above ground and not in the basement. This room was the first that Kreacher actually accepted and admired, having spent the rest of the renovation complaining about making changes to the ‘Ancient and Noble House of Black’. Harry also had someone come in who fixed the house up to allow muggle technology to work. A muggleborn had worked out how to minimize the interference between the two and channel it into powering the appliances, giving the house the perfect balance of magical and muggle that Harry desired. 

After 8 months of hard work, Harry was nearly done, with only a couple of rooms needing a few finishing touches. Harry was sat in the main lounge finally resting after another hard day and he had a thought. 

“You know what, Sirius, I have really enjoyed fixing this house up. It’s been really fun. Hard work but really enjoyable and rewarding.”

Sirius nodded, “You’ve done an amazing job, Pup. I can’t believe this is the same house. You’ve definitely got talent.”

“Imagine if I could do this as a job! I’d absolutely love it!”

“Well, why don’t you do it as a job? Start up your own business. You’ve definitely got enough money to start yourself off and then some. Thanks in large parts to me, former Lord Black,” Sirius smirked.

“Good thing you’re a portrait, you’d give yourself such a neck ache carrying that massive head around! I can just see it, everyone will want their house done by Harry Potter just because of who I am. I wanna do something where my work is appreciated for the work and not my name. Do you know what I mean?”

“I understand completely. Well, you could still do it.”

“How?” Harry asked.

“You know how some authors write under a pseudonym, you could work under a different name. Start up your company under a new name and no one will know it’s you,” Sirius suggested.

Harry thought for a moment. He was really leaning towards the idea of starting up his own business. Home Interiors was the first thing that he really enjoyed that was his own thing that didn’t involve fighting for his life and that of others. It was both stressful and therapeutic and allowed his mind to run wild. He wanted to do it. He could only think of one problem. “What about when I need to go out in public? I’d have to meet people and be in their homes to actually do the work. It’s all well and good using a different name but I’ll have to be seen.”

Sirius agreed. Harry would have to meet people and work out in the open. Then, he had the idea of the century. “Glamours.”

“What?”

“Glamours, Harry. You could create an entirely different face and body. It could still be you who goes out, you just won’t look like you,” Sirius gave himself a round of applause and gave a low bow in celebration.

Harry stared gobsmacked at what his godfather had just suggested. “You’re mad. That’s mad!”

“I am a Black, we’re all mad,” Sirius laughed, “I am serious, though. You could literally create the face of your company. I could help you, Harry, if this is what you really want to do. There are a load of books in the library that can help you. You’re powerful and smart, I’m it won’t take you too long to master.”

Harry couldn’t believe that he was even considering this as an option. He decided then that he would sleep on it and really think about. Whilst Sirius’s idea was nuts… _completely nuts…_ Harry couldn’t stop thinking about it. He could do something which he enjoyed and be completely incognito. It was thrilling and kept Harry up all night. By the time he woke up, he had made up his mind. 

He was going to do it. 

Harry spent the evenings of the next few weeks in the library studying and practicing glamour spells. Sirius assisted from his place in his library portrait. Harry had commissioned a discreet wizarding artist to create multiple portrait scenes, each one charmed to allow Sirius to travel between rooms and saving Harry from carrying him everywhere. They worked through the different aspects that Harry would need to change, mastering one before moving onto the next. He began with hair colour, then moved onto length and texture straight after. Once this was managed, he worked on how to change each of his facial features. After this, he worked on his body shape and skin colour. 

After a month of non-stop practicing, Harry stood in front of his full length mirror staring wide-eyed at his new self. He had long blonde hair, petite aristocratic features and a stunning hourglass figure. Amelie Aurelian was born. 

Harry sent off his measurements and owl ordered several sets of women’s robes and a multitude of outfits, undergarments and shoes, spending time getting used to being in this body and, of course, walking in heels. He also took himself down to Gringotts to incorporate his business. He spoke confidentially with his Account Manager, who understood his predicament and agreed to keep his true identity under wraps… for a price. They helped him create new identification documents and set up a business vault linked to his current vaults. They also advised him of the best routes to take as a new business and after a few hours inside Gringotts, Aurelian of London was created. 

After successfully learning to walk, talk and act like a woman and devising Amelie’s full backstory, Amelie introduced herself to Wizarding society. She was present at all Ministry balls, schmoozing anyone and everyone, offering her renovation and interior design services. After mentioning that she had completely re-done the Black London home for Harry Potter, armed with a full album of before, during and after photos, successful meetings came in thick and fast. As the portfolio grew and through word-of-mouth over the next couple of years, Aurelian of London became one of the most popular businesses in the Wizarding World.

Grimmauld Place was eventually overrun with fabrics, materials and mood boards for several of the homes that were being worked on at the time. Harry had spent a long time hiding what he was doing from his friends, locked away in certain rooms, but it was really starting to overflow. One lunch time, when Harry was completely unprepared, Hermione came through the floo. She was taking a well-deserved break from the Ministry, having finished the first draft of one of the many bills that she wanted to put toward the Wizengamot. 

She made her way through the lower levels of the home, it could be called a home now that it had been redecorated, and couldn’t find Harry anywhere. She came upon Kreacher in the kitchen cooking lunch and asked where his master was. 

“Master is on the third floor. Kreacher will go and let Master know that his bushy-haired friend has arrived.” Kreacher placed down what he was using and went to pop out, but Hermione stopped him.

“That’s ok, Kreacher, no need for formalities. I will make my way upstairs and find him myself. You go back to what you were doing,” she smiled, turning towards the door. “It smells delicious, Kreacher.”

Hermione worked her way up to the third floor and listened out for Harry. Faintly, at the end of the hall, she could hear her friend laughing. Following the voice, she opened the door and found Harry covered in different swatches of fabrics, holding each up to the light.

“What do you think, Sirius? Lady Laveau said that she wanted aubergine but this plum colour really shines in the sunlight,” he asked, constantly swapping arms and angles, trying to see the best in the fabrics.

“Take them to Lady Laveau and explain the situation. People don’t always know what they want until it’s thrust under their noses.” 

Harry froze. Sirius didn’t sound like that. In fact, Sirius was currently laughing his head off. Harry slowly turned and saw his best friend standing there with a huge knowing grin on her face. 

“So this is what you’ve been doing since you finished doing your own home? Here, I thought you were slobbing around living off your infinite riches.” 

“Um… Well, yeah I…” Harry stuttered, still in a bit of shock at being found out. 

“Eloquent as ever, Harry. Why didn’t you tell me?” Hermione asked, striding through the room to embrace her friend. 

“Well, there’s a lot more to the story.”

“And I have time. I’ve just finished the werewolf bill draft and I could use a story to wind down with for the afternoon. Kreacher is cooking up something amazing so why don’t we go down to the kitchen and have a chat.”

As they left the room, Sirius shouted, “It’s one hell of a story!”

Harry and Hermione spent the rest of the day at Grimmauld Place while Harry told her everything and how it all came to be. By the end of the story, she was impressed and amazed at the business that Harry had set up, and the whole situation as a whole. She had seen Amelie Aurelian once at a Ministry event, but only at a distance. Hermione immediately asked if Harry would show her the glamours and dragged him off to his closet. 

As Harry walked out of the closet as Amelie, he immediately felt like a huge unknown weight had been lifted. It was freeing to know that someone other than a portrait of his godfather knew his secret. He honestly didn’t know why he had kept it a secret from Hermione. He knew that she wouldn’t judge him, there was something in the back of his mind that stopped him whenever they spent time together. 

After the fashion show, Harry showed Hermione around his home office / workshop, which happened to be nearly the entirety of the third floor. He showed here the renders and concept boards for each of the properties that he was currently working on and asked for an opinion here and there. 

“Harry, this is absolutely incredible. You really have found your calling. You have an astonishing eye. I would have never thought it but now that I see it, I can’t imagine you doing anything else. You look… Happy.”

“I am, ‘Mione. It’s amazing and I didn’t think that I would be this popular. I think I’m gonna have to move some of this upstairs. I can’t fit any more in!”

“Why don’t you buy some office space or shop or something? It looks as though business is going well and the word of your work is spreading through the Upper circles. If you have something out there, you can show more people what you can do. And you’d get your house back.”

“I guess I could..”

“Yes, you could. You spent so much time making this house into a home and so far, you’ve turned half of it into an office. You need to separate work and home.”

And so that’s what Harry did. He, as Amelie, and Hermione, under a few glamours, went out and began to search for a place. They looked at plots in Hogsmeade and all of the Alleys in Wizarding London and for a while, they couldn’t find anything that was right. After a few months, they noticed a closing down sign posted in a window. They immediately met with the owner and found out that they were retiring and their children were taking over the store, but moving it to France. When the owner mentioned that they had agreed planning to allow the store to be built up, Harry immediately offered to take over the lease, the paperwork being filed by Gringotts and The Ministry that evening. 

Aurelian of London’s storefront started out small, with the main floor being used as a workspace and a small office situated at the back. As predicted, it brought in more clients and partnerships which meant Harry quickly had to extend up a few floors to accommodate. The partnerships took over the bottom 2 floors, with the companies showing off the best of what they had to offer. The third floor hosted a variety of meeting and viewing rooms for the clients to come in and meet privately with Amelie. The fourth was an open plan (warded) workshop for Harry to freely work on and design the multiple active properties. The top floor held Harry’s large main office and a variety of other meeting rooms which, for the time being, remained unused.

Business was great and Harry was incredibly happy, he had no real worries other than making sure his clients were happy with what he was designing. Pure bliss. His secret was held safe. Out of respect and transparency, Harry disclosed his true identity to anyone that worked for him and anyone he worked in partnership with. This was all kept under oath, which everyone completely understood. There was, of course, initial shock, but Harry had more than proven himself. The next three years saw Harry busy as ever, clients being called in from all across the globe. Harry had to hire store assistants, other designers, reception staff and even a personal assistant to work with him. With more staff, Harry had more time for his personal life, keeping in touch with friends a lot more and meeting new people.

At least once a week, Harry and Hermione would make sure they went out for dinner or drinks to make sure they could always de-stress and relax. They refused to be the kinds of people who forgot about themselves and solely focused on work. It wasn’t healthy. One night, they were sat in a muggle bar, several drinks in, laughing and joking about anything and everything. Harry had taken to people watching and seemed to have a knack for knowing exactly what everyone was going to do. 

After Harry successfully described a situation with a certain man at the bar was obviously interested in a certain woman across the bar, who would then chance his luck, only to fail miserably, before it had happened, Hermione’s brain went into overdrive.

“Harry, I don’t know how you do it!” Hermione laughed, as she watched the poor man head to the bathroom to dry off his vodka soaked shirt. 

“I don’t know. Could come from my auror training, could come from our school days. I did spend just a little bit of time analysing people to make sure they weren’t trying to kill me,” Harry winked as he got up to go get a few more drinks for them.

Whilst she was left alone, the wheels were turning. As her friend sat back down, she accepted her drink and looked at her friend as best as she could, being a little tipsy. “Harry, you know how you set up Neville and Hannah…”

Harry nodded, “Yeah?”

“And how you convinced Seamus and Dean to stop pussyfooting around each other…”

“‘Mione, where are you going with this?” Harry asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Well, I know you have a lot going on with your business, but have you thought of doing it professionally?”

“Doing what, professionally?”

“Setting people up. Being a matchmaker.” 

Harry laughed, “Oh come on, ‘Mione!”

Hermione took Harry’s hand in hers, “No. Hear me out. You understand people, Harry. You can meet someone and know exactly what they want. Hell, you don’t even need to meet them to work it out. You have successfully set up a lot of our friends and did you know, none of them have broken up…”

“...Yet!” Harry interjected. 

“Yet. But still, they are happy and they have you to thank!”

“I get what you’re saying and I guess it could be a fun change, but I have enough on my plate right now,” Harry smiled, trying to deflect slightly. 

Hermione sighed, “I know. But this could be a really good business venture. I could help you. It doesn’t have to be definite now, but how about we brainstorm a little bit. Maybe you could start asking around and see if it is something that the Wizarding World needs.”

Harry thought about it as he downed his drink. Hermione was right. Nothing definite had to be done now. They could work on something together and see how it goes. He had already heard from a few of his clients that they, and their children, were struggling to find love. He could possibly help. And you know Harry Potter has this “help people complex”. He had enough staff to be able to continue with the existing part of his business that he could try. And try he did. 

From that one drunken conversation, followed by several months of book and market research and a lengthy time buried in arithmancy calculations, Aurelian of London’s Mage Match was born.


End file.
